WordGarden.iojungle
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /dʒˈʌŋɡəl/
US
- /ˈdʒəŋɡəl/
Meanings
Noun
a dense tropical forest or overgrown wild area
a confusing, chaotic, or ruthlessly competitive place or situation
a style of electronic dance music with fast breakbeats and heavy bass
Beyond the definition
When we say "jungle," most people picture a hot, thick forest full of tangled plants, heavy rain, and wild animals. That is the main meaning of the word. But it is also often used in a figurative way for a place or situation that feels rough, crowded, or hard to deal with. People talk about the "concrete jungle" of a big city, or a social or political "jungle" where people compete to get ahead.
The word came into English from Hindi and Urdu, and it goes back to Sanskrit jangala, which referred more to rough or wild land than to a forest in the modern sense. Over time, English speakers started using it for dense tropical forests. So whether you are talking about real rainforest or a difficult part of daily life, the word carries a feeling of wildness and struggle.
The word "jungle" most commonly brings to mind a dense tropical forest with thick plant growth, high heat, and a great variety of animal life. Many people think of places like the Amazon or parts of Southeast Asia, where trees, vines, and undergrowth can grow so closely together that moving through them feels difficult and slow. In this literal sense, a jungle is not just any forest. It suggests a place that feels hot, thick, and hard to cross. "The explorers hacked their way through the jungle, battling thick vines and sweltering heat."
However, "jungle" is also widely used in a figurative sense. It can describe any place or system that feels chaotic, dangerous, highly competitive, or difficult to understand. That is why people say "urban jungle," "concrete jungle," "corporate jungle," or "political jungle." In these cases, the word suggests pressure, confusion, and the feeling that you have to fight your way through. "Navigating the job market felt like entering a ruthless jungle."
The word can also carry a sense of adventure. A "jungle adventure" sounds exciting, unpredictable, and full of discovery, even if it also suggests risk.
Historically, the word entered English through Hindi and Urdu and ultimately comes from Sanskrit jangala. Its earlier sense was closer to wild, uncultivated, or rough land than to the exact modern idea of a tropical forest. Over time, English narrowed it to the image many people know today. Even now, the word still carries strong ideas of wildness, danger, confusion, and survival, whether it refers to nature or to human life.
Examples
- 1
Jungle travel
We walked for hours through the jungle before we reached the river.
- 2
Natural setting
The village is surrounded by thick jungle.
- 3
Garden overgrowth
After the rain, the garden turned into a jungle of weeds.
- Patterna jungle of + things
a thick, messy mass of many things
- 4
Bureaucracy
The rules are a jungle of forms, fees, and deadlines.
- Patterna jungle of + things
a confusing mass of many things
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
City life
She moved from a quiet town to the concrete jungle of New York.
- Phraseconcrete jungle
a big city that feels crowded and hard
- 6
Competitive warning
Be careful in that industry; it’s a jungle out there.
- Phraseit’s a jungle out there
people compete hard, and things may not be fair
- 7
Playground equipment
The kids spent the whole afternoon climbing on the jungle gym.
- Phrasejungle gym
a climbing frame for children
See also
Similar
- rainforest
- tropical forest
- forest
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- dense jungle
- tropical jungle
- jungle canopy
- deep in the jungle
Word family
- jungly
Explore
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- junglenoun
Forms
- junglespluralnoun